The Honeysuckle Recreation Environment Project arose from the Community Opportunity Workshop held in Violet Town in November 2001.
From this a working party was set up which consisted of Andrew Guerin, Robin Landvogt, Tim Mahar, Howard Myers, Rebecca Nicoll, Sue Paton, Julie Ryan, Kate Stothers, Lance Williams and Susan Mahar.
Through negotiation with the Shire and the community they came up with an environmental project which they called the Honeysuckle Recreation Environment Project (HREP).
HREP was established as a subcommittee of the Violet Town Action Group (VTAG).
The aims of HREP are -
- to rehabilitate and enhance the native vegetation throughout the Violet Town Recreation Reserve. Most of the area we have worked on is along the Honeysuckle Creek which flows through the middle of the Recreation Reserve, but we have completed several understorey plantings under large trees in the more open woodland sections of the Reserve plus some other pockets of habitat vegetation.
- to provide a variety of recreational and educational experiences within the Recreation Reserve to complement the more traditional sporting activities. To this end we have installed a 3km walking track loop alongside the creek with seats, tables and environmental information signs at strategic places along it. We have also created pleasant places along the creek banks where people can picnic or relax and enjoy the birds, trees and sound of running water. Recently the "Honeysuckle Creek, Walking Track" brochure has been produced to enhance the experience of walking the track. A "Birds of the Honeysuckle Creek, Violet Town" brochure has also been produced to assist bird identification.
- to engage with the community of Violet Town and the wider region to increase awareness of the importance of preserving our natural environment and of increasing the area and quality of natural habitat available to native fauna.
We are a volunteer group which relies very heavily on government and other funding. In 2005 major grants were successfully applied for and a detailed master plan was drawn up.
This was the beginning of Stage 1 of HREP
